Hydraulic log turner for sawmills



Oct. 2. 1956 M. E. MAYNARD HYDRAULIC LOG TURNER FOR SAWMILLS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1954 3 INVENTOR flarzgdlz Zf/Vayrzard BY MWATTORNEY Oct. 2, 1956 M: E. MAYNARD HYDRAULIC LOG TURNER FOR SAWMILLS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1954 INVENTOR' flarqd/z ZIJ/aynard .33 J8J/ .Ah.

ATTORNEY Oct. 2, 1956 M. E. MAYNARD HYDRAULIC LOG TURNER FOR SAWMILLS 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 1. 1954 n! r/lIlI/ IJ /lllll/I/ /AMu..."...,.........."....".., I g

INVENTOR Warqrz Eflaynard ATTORNEY United States Patent Marvin E.Maynard, Chattanooga, Tenn.,

Corley Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Tennessee ApplicationJuly 1, 1954, Serial No. 440,591

Claims. (Cl. 143-99) assignor to Chattanooga, Term,

This invention relates to a hydraulic log turning mechanism and moreparticularly to a fully oscillating hydraulic log turner for co-actionwith a sawmill carriage.

It is an object of the invention to provide a log turning mechanism bymeans of which a log on the carriage is successively turned as thereciprocating carriage feeds the log longitudinally to the saw and thenretracts the log for another turn on its longitudinal axis.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a log turningmechanism including a kicker bar mounted for vertical and oscillatingmovement and hydraulic means for raising and oscillating the kicker barto turn and hold the log in any desired position.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a verticalmovable kicker bar having teeth for engaging the log to be turned, ahydraulic cylinder for raising the kicker bar to rotate the log and asecond hydraulic cylinder for imparting lateral thrust to the kicker barfor holding the log in its adjusted position.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a mechanism of theabove-mentioned character which is simple and durable in construction,reliable and efficient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the log turning mechanism,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration apreferred embodiment of the invention is shown the numeral 5 denotes abase member supporting .at one end a vertical standard composed ofchannel members 6 and 7 disposed in spaced apart relation with thechannels in opposed relation. Attached to the outer faces of the channelmembers at their upper ends are a pair of horizontal angle bars 8 and 9that are supported intermediate their length by uprights 10 mounted onthe base 5. A kicker bar composed of parallel bars 11 and 12 is mountedto reciprocate vertically in the space between the channel members 6 and7. Mounted between the bars 11 and 12 at spaced apart intervals are aseries of teeth 13 pivotally mounted on pins 14 adapted to normallyproject outwardly from the edges of the bars. The outer ends of theteeth are beveled, as at 15 and the teeth are supported in an inclinedposition by rest pins 16 carried by the bars 11 and 12. Circular bosses17 are formed integral with the outer faces of the bars 11 and 12 attheir lower ends that engage in the channels of members 6 2,765,006Patented Oct. 2, 1956 and 7, slidably and pivotally connecting thekicker bar to the standard. A roller 18 is mounted between the upperends of the bars 11 and 12 and adjacent the upper ends of said bars arelugs 19 extending laterally from the edges of the bars that support awrist pin 20 for connecting a piston rod 21 of a hydraulic cylinder 22to the kicker bar. The lower end of the hydraulic cylinder is pivotallymounted, as at 23, on the base 5. Upon admitting fluid under pressure tothe hydraulic cylinder the kicker bar is raised upwardly and the upwardmovement is limited by stop blocks 24 mounted in the channel membersadjacent their upper ends which are engaged by the bosses 17 on thekicker bar. A guard plate 25 bridges the channel members at their upperend so that when the kicker bar moves downwardly the teeth engage theupper edge of the guard plate and are thereby swung inwardly.

Oscillating movement of the kicker bar is controlled by a hydrauliccylinder 26 pivotally connected at one end, as at 27, to a cross member28 at the outer ends of the horizontal angle bars 8 and 9. The pistonrod 29 of the cylinder 26 is pivotally connected to a wrist pin 30mounted in one end of a slidable frame 31 having a shaft 32, Figs. 4 and6, at its opposite end on which is mounted a pair of rollers 33 disposedbetween upper and lower tracks 34 and 35 formed integral with angle bars8 and 9. A connecting link 36 mounted on the center of shaft 32 extendsbetween the bars 11 and 12 forming the kicker bar and has a transversepin 37 at its end that is retained between the bars by guide bars 38attached to the inner edges of bars 11 and 12. Roller bearings 39mounted on shaft 32 engage the guide bars 38 to permit free slidingmovement of the kicker bar. Movement of the kicker bar in a backwarddirection is limited by stop blocks 40 mounted on the upper tracks 34intermediate their length. A cross member 41 between the bars 8 and 9supports a strap anchor 42 that embraces the cylinder 26 and holds it ina horizontal position.

In operation the log turning mechanism is positioned adjacent thereciprocating carriage of a sawmill so that the teeth of the kicker barare against the log supported by the carriage. Upon admitting fluid tothe hydraulic cylinder 22, the kicker bar is raised vertically and theteeth 13 rotate the log in a counter clockwise direction. If fluid isadmitted to the horizontal cylinder 26 the kicker bar is oscillated in aforward direction forcing the log against the knee of the headblock andthus arresting the rotating movement of the log at any desired angularposition. By suitable control valves the operation of the cylinders 22and 26 may be independently or jointly controlled to provide acombination of movements to the kicker bar to turn the log and hold itin the desired position.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herein shown anddescribed is a preferred example of the same and changes in the shape,size and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from theinvention or scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A log turning mechanism comprising a vertical standard composed ofspaced channel members, a kicker bar disposed between said channelmembers having circular bosses formed on its lower end disposed in thechannels of said members for sliding and pivotal movement, spacedhorizontal bars connected to and extending from the upper end of saidstandard, a hydraulic cylinder mounted between said horizontal barshaving its piston slidably connected to said kicker bar, and asubstantially vertical hydraulic cylinder pivotally mounted at its lowerend having its piston connected to said kicker bar adjacent its upperend.

2. In a hydraulic log turner for sawmills, a vertical standard composedof spaced parallel bars, a kicker bar disposed intermediate the bars ofsaid standard, means pivotally and slidably mounting said kicker bar insaid standard, teeth pivotally mounted in the front face of said kickerbar normally projecting therefrom, means at the upper end of saidstandard for engagement with said teeth to swing the teeth inwardly whensaid kicker bar moves downwardly, a horizontal frame connected to andextending horizontally from the upper end of said standard, a slidableframe movable longitudinally of said horizontal frame, a connecting linkbetween said slidable frame and said kicker bar having slidingconnection with the kicker bar, a hydraulic cylinder on said horizontalframe for moving said slidable frame, a second hydraulic cylinderpivotally mounted on one end in substantially parallel relation to saidstandard, the piston rod of said cylinder having pivotal connection withthe upper end of said kicker bar.

3. In a hydraulic log turner for sawmills, a vertical standard composedof spaced channel members, a kicker bar disposed intermediate saidchannel members, circular bosses formed on the sides of said kicker baradjacent its lower end for engagement with the channels of said membersto slidably and pivotally support said kicker bar in said standard, aseries of teeth pivotally mounted in the front face of said kicker bar,means across the front face of said standard at its upper end forengaging said teeth to swing them inwardly upon downward movement ofsaid kicker bar, spaced horizontal bars connected to and extendinghorizontally from the upper end of said standard, a horizontal hydrauliccylinder disposed intermediate said horizontal bars, a reciprocatingframe supported by said horizontal bars having one end connected to thepiston rod of said horizontal cylinder, means at the opposite end ofsaid frame having sliding connection with said kicker bar, rollerbearings carried by said frame in bearing engagement with the inner faceof said kicker bar, a vertical hydraulic cylinder disposed substantiallyparallel to said standard pivotally mounted at its lower end and havingits piston rod extending upwardly between said horizontal bars andpivotally connected to the upper end of said kicker bar.

4. In a hydraulic log turner for sawmills, a vertical standard composedof spaced channel members, a kicker bar disposed intermediate saidchannel members having circular bosses formed on its sides adjacent thelower end, said bosses having engagement with the channels of saidmembers to pivotally and slidably support said kicker bar in saidstandard, a series of teeth pivotally mounted in the front face of saidkicker bar adapted to project beyond the front face, a guard platesecured to the front face of said standard at its upper end forengagement with said teeth to swing the teeth inwardly upon downwardmovement of said kicker bar, spaced horizontal bars connected to andextending horizontally from the upper end of said standard, a hydrauliccylinder mounted longitudinally between said horizontal bars, areciprocating frame supported by said horizontal bars having one andconnected to the piston rod of said hydraulic cylinder, a connectinglink between said frame and said kicker bar, a second hydraulic cylinderpivotally mounted at its lower end adjacent said standard insubstantially parallel relation to the standard, said cylinder havingits piston rod extending between said horizontal bars and pivotallyconnected to the upper end of said kicker bar.

5. In a hydraulic log turner for sawmills, a vertical standard composedof spaced channel members disposed in parallel relation with thechannels in confronting relation, a kicker bar composed of spacedparallel bars disposed bctween the channel members of said standard,flanges extending inwardly from the rear edges of the bars of saidkicker bar to form a longitudinal slot in the rear face thereof,circular bosses formed integral with the outer faces of the bars of saidkicker bar as their lower ends for engagement in the channels of thechannel bars of said standard to pivotally and slidably mount saidkicker bar in said standard, a series of teeth pivotally mounted betweenthe bars of said kicker bar normally projecting beyond the front facethereof, a guard plate secured to the front face of said standard at itsupper end for engagement with said teeth to swing the teeth inwardlyupon downward movement of said kicker bar, spaced horizontal barsconnected to and extending horizontally from the upper end of saidstandard, a hydraulic cylinder mounted longitudinally between saidhorizontal bars, a reciprocating frame supported by said horizontal barshaving one end connected to the piston rod of said hydraulic cylinder, aconnecting link connected to the other end of said frame adapted toextend through the slot in the rear face of said kicker bar, transversepin extending through the free end of said link and overlapping theinner faces of the flanges of said kicker bar, roller bearings carriedby said frame in bearing engagement with the outer faces of the flangesof said kicker bar, a second hydraulic cylinder pivotally mounted at itslower end adjacent said standard in substantially parallel relationthereto, said cylinder having its piston rod extending upwardly betweensaid horizontal cars and pivotally connected to the upper end of saidkicker bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS415,315 Wilkin Nov. 19, 1889 569,366 Wilkin Oct. 13, 1896 738,385 WilkesSept. 8, 1903 811,028 Beitner Jan. 30, 1906 889,446 Downing June 2, 19081,764,817 Winters June 17, 1930 2,655,185 Richardson Oct. 13, 1953

